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Water Disruption An Inconvenience, Costly Too

SHAH ALAM – The water disruption in Selangor is not only causing inconvenience but is also proving to be an expensive affair for some people.

A.Pandian, 49, a resident of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) Sri Nilam Flats in Section 7, said he had spent about RM300 to buy water for the use of his family of 13 members.

The private sector employee said the sum was big for a low-income individual like him but he had to spend the money to get the water.

“I have a large family. They need water, a lot of water, to bathe and drink. I have not seen the tanker lorry from Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor coming to the flats since the water disruption began.

“I telephoned the company but there was no response. When I learned that the Fire and Rescue Department was sending water I came here in the hope that they will be able to send a tanker to the flats,” he said to reporters when met at the Section 17 ‘pasar malam’ (night market) site here today.

He was attending a water supply service programme of the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department where Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar was present.

Under the programme, three tanker lorries with a capacity of 20,000 litres each had been stationed at Section 17 while a tanker lorry of similar capacity had been sent to Section 7 at the request of the residents.

Another affected resident, Fauziah Ibrahim, 68, said it was the fourth day today that her household had gone without piped water, forcing her to buy drinking water at the retail outlets and supermarket.

“I waited for the Syabas tanker lorries but none came. A friend informed me that a Syabas tanker lorry came last night but there was no prior notice,” she said.

Last Tuesday, Syabas announced a water disruption up to today due to maintenance work at Phase 3 of the Selangor Water Treatment Plant.

However, the period of the water disruption had to be extended after a surge vessel system at the plant exploded, damaging pipes.

As a result 427 areas in the Klang Valley have had to go without piped water, among them Shah Alam, Klang, Petaling, Gombak, Hulu Selangor and Kuala Langat. Supply is expected to resume in stages by Sunday.

Meanwhile, Noh said the ministry received many complaints from the people about having run out of piped water.

“Therefore, I instructed the Fire and Rescue Department to send water in tanker lorries to the people of Shah Alam. I also requested additional supply from the Fire and Rescue Department in Pahang and Melaka,” he said.

He said the water would be supplied to the public as well as to schools, hospitals and surau in the district. – BERNAMA